Libman-Sacks endocarditis is a well-known and rather common cardiac manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus. Transesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography are the definitive imaging methods used to evaluate cardiac valvular involvement in this disease. Valvular masses (vegetations) and valvular thickening are 2 common morphologic echocardiographic patterns. Libman-Sacks lesions are typically characterized by single-valve involvement and their small size of 1 to 4 mm.Herein, we present the unusual case of a 22-year-old woman with newly diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus who had large, sterile vegetations of Libman-Sacks endocarditis that involved the mitral and aortic valves. This compromised coronary blood flow and resulted in ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest. The vegetations were surgically excised, and the patient's cardiac function recovered. We discuss the treatment of the patient and that of Libman-Sacks endocarditis.
Keywords: Disease progression; endocarditis/etiology; heart diseases/complications; heart valve diseases/complications/immunology/physiopathology; lupus erythematosus, systemic/complications/physiopathology; treatment outcome.